Best Blogs; December 02, 2008

CRAIG BURGER/Special to the Sentinel
THE OUTDOOR JUNKIE found some fresh snow in the Elks on Sunday.

Special to the Sentinel

CRAIG BURGER/Special to the Sentinel
THE OUTDOOR JUNKIE found some fresh snow in the Elks on Sunday.

By
Staff
Friday, June 10, 2011

Posted Sunday, Nov. 30 at 8:54 p.m.

• Outdoor Junkie:

The snow has finally begun to fall, without a doubt entirely because of the exceptional celebration conducted in honor of Ullr last weekend. My eyes have been glued to the weather station reports during the recent storm. Up to 22 inches had fallen in the Elks, easily enough snow to warrant an expedition in search of the first turns of the season.

Sunday morning I headed up into the mountains and despite the somewhat nasty weather found a few other diehards out there, including my ski partner, Craig Burger. After an hour and a half of skinning through sheltered trees, we had a descent of 2,000 feet below us.

Although somewhat marginal below 10,000 feet, the conditions were a huge improvement over the previous week.

On the northerly aspects we found fresh snow, blown in 18 inches deep and enough to satisfy my immediate hunger for powder turns.

The full-on winter blizzard conditions added to the excitement of dodging rocks and snow snakes (deadfall) in poor visibility. But it was great to be back on the skis after four months off, and with no injuries and our equipment returned relatively unscathed, the day was deemed a success.

Posted Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 1:12 p.m.

• Blue Star Mothers

This is a nice way to thank and remember a veteran near and dear to your heart this holiday season.

Grand Valley Blue Star Mothers are inviting all Grand Valley military families to submit a photo of their soldier/veteran to be made into a keepsake ornament and displayed on the Hero’s Christmas tree near J.C. Penney at Mesa Mall.

Blue Star Mothers is a non-partisan, non-political organization of mothers who have or have had children honorably serving in the military. Grand Valley Blue Star Mothers is a local chapter.

Photos will be copied and laser-engraved on a blue acrylic star pictured at right.

Send in your veteran’s photo for free ornament

Send photo, along with soldier’s name, rank and in which conflict he or she serves/served, along with the name, address, phone number and e-mail of the person submitting the photo to:

Grand Valley Blue Star Mothers

2139 N. 12th St., Unit No. 10-135A

Grand Junction, CO 81501

For information: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

or call 970- 242-3845

Ornaments and photos can be picked up from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 29 at the Hero’s Tree, or you can include $1 with your submission to have it mailed to you.